Category: Uncategorized

The CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program will make available about $29 million in block grant funding under a new pilot program. According to the CDFA, organizations may apply for state funding and then distribute the funds to eligible farmers, ranchers or agricultural operations for on-farm projects to help implement conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Eligible organizations may request between $2 million and $5 million.

Two CDFA webinars will provide information on the program requirements and the application process.

REGISTER: Tuesday | May 2, 2023 | 9 am – 11 am

REGISTER: Wednesday | May 3, 2023 | 1 pm – 3 pm

For information on HSP Block Grant eligibility and program requirements, go to https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/BlockGrantProgram.html.

The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. PT on Monday, June 19, 2023. 

Contact Us Now

Kimberly Cook
Central & Northern California
(805) 846-6432
Kimberly@Agromin.com

Craig Coker

With over 40 years’ experience orchestrating organics recycling facilities, Craig Coker will briefly outline how to get started with our own compostable organics diversion facilities at the CiIT webinar.

Presentation:

Compost Site Selection

Acquire a general understanding of the parameters required for how to site your composting facility:

• Location selection criteria
• Site Analysis & Assessment
• Zoning and Regulations
• Futureproofing
• More!

Registration is now available.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022 • 2:00pm to 3:30-ish, Pacific Time

Organized by Rick Anthony, Gary Liss, Ruth Abbe, & Chris Sparnicht

Additional information about other speakers to follow

Webinar Agenda

A new non-woven spun/sprayed-on plant-based fiber material can replace plastic food packaging. Rutgers University and Harvard are developing a polymer nicknamed “APF” (Antimicrobial Pullulan Fiber) allows produce to remain shelf-stable longer. Apparently, you just wash off the non-toxic APF coating when you’re ready to use the produce. In image “e” above, the light green avocado is coated with APF. The dark green avocado is uncoated. In image “f”, the coating is being washed off. Image “g” shows the avocado with the APF washed off, ready for consumption.

The EPA is asking for feedback on infrastructure law pertaining to US Recycling and Waste Management. It’s important for us to let those in charge know that Composting is Infrastructure Too! To that end these are some constructive resources for you to make that happen.

Note: Why are we asking for your name and address? EPA wants real names and addresses of constituents. Comments and sign-ons without real names and addresses are not counted.

Dear EPA,

We the undersigned want to ensure these considerations are integrated as part of the Infrastructure Law found at this EPA web page: https://www.epa.gov/rcra/bipartisan-infrastructure-law-transforming-us-recycling-and-waste-management

Why? Because Composting is infrastructure too. This is important first because about 18% of methane emissions come from landfills according to EPA’s own reporting. Second, about half of what’s landfilled can generally be diverted from landfills to composting facilities. These are the two easiest low hanging fruit to address when it comes to fighting climate change. In many counties that haven’t already begun, that means creating new or revising existing infrastructure so that compostable organics are diverted from landfills and into composting facilities at scales that are appropriate for each community. The list of physical and social parameters outlined below are important considerations in developing a strategy that funds infrastructure to transform US recycling and waste management:

Physical Infrastructure – for compostable organics diversion

• Reduction – (e.g. LeanPath,com)
• Reusables – Edible Food to Food Pantries
• Windrows
• In-Vessel Systems
• Urban Composting
• Backyard Composting
• Community Composting (decentralization)
• on-Farm Composting
• Digestion (Anaerobic/Aerobic)
• Development of Collection Programs

Social Infrastructure – for compostable organics diversion

• Permitting documents
• Behavior Change
• Adoption of Policies
• Reduction
• Training programs
• Workforce Development 

Yours sincerely,

The undersigned

Soil structure is layered. Different organisms prefer to live at different layers in the soil. When we till, those layers are disturbed. The ability for the soil to hold water and provide living space for flora and fauna is threatened. Storm water run-off is increased, affecting the entire biome downstream. But we don’t have to farm by tilling. No-till farming is a way of planting and harvesting without disturbing soil layers. Here’s a great in-depth video produced by ABC News about why No-Till farming could help reduce the impacts of climate change.

SWEEP – Solid Waste Environment Excellence Performance – cool backronym!

Presenters include: Georgia Marks & Amy Slagle of the City of Austin, TX and Rob Watson, SWEEP Standard.

This is a webinar about collecting compostable materials curbside.